Latest / To Your Success! Podcast / Episode 48: We did not escape work. We redesigned our life
Transcript
- Christer Johnsen: everyone to a new episode of the, to your success podcast. ⁓ Krister Johnson. And with me today is. Elin Solheim: Alien Soline, as always, your Wife and Business Partner. Christer Johnsen: Great to see you again, Elin. And we have to say sorry that our voices are a little bit rusty. We ⁓ got a cold when we came back to Norway after sailing for three months. But it is what it is, right? Elin Solheim: I think they sound more sexy than rusty, so it's okay. So today we have a special episode for you because we are running this business from anywhere in the world and most successful people, dream about a different kind of life, but very few people actually build one. And today we are talking honestly about what that looks like. Christer Johnsen: Okay. Elin Solheim: So I'm going to ask you some questions, Christy, because before we built what we have today, you were running a major international company, several major international companies, and what was actually going on inside that life? Christer Johnsen: Well, the external picture was strong, right? I had the front pages of newspapers. was CEO. I identified myself as a successful CEO. I worked around, I traveled the world, most of it. There are a few parts I didn't travel to that we are going to sail to. The results were great. I was respected. I was asked to join things, et cetera. But the internal reality was completely different. You know that very well, Elin. ⁓ Elin Solheim: Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: Constant travel and people that don't travel in business, they say, ⁓ it must be great to travel so much. You see so many places. I said, yes, I see a lot of airports. I see a lot of planes and I see a lot of hotel rooms and meeting rooms. ⁓ I was always reachable, always available, checking email all the time. Every decision was resting on me. ⁓ So we felt a lot of responsibility. It's not that I don't feel responsibility for our business today. but it's a different way. And then at some point I realized that I had to, I had become really good in a life I didn't like. And that affected me emotionally. I got more and more dissatisfied. I got more and more afraid. And me as a cleric person, when I get afraid, I get angry and I didn't come out very well. I didn't sleep very well. Elin Solheim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: So for me it was like it was a facade. It was like a movie. I was playing a movie, right? Where everything looked great on the outside and on the inside it wasn't great. And I thought this is how it is. I just have to suck it up because this is what success looks like and what I've been told success is. But to me that is not success anymore. Elin Solheim: Thank Mm-hmm. So was there a specific turning point for you? Something you can put your finger on? Christer Johnsen: It was kind of not a dramatic event. was when I looking back, there there were a series of small steps, right? And when we talk about accidents, it's very much like all these small things gathering together and finally it doesn't work anymore. It's the same thing. I felt the same thing. can pinpoint quite looking back, I can say that affected it, that affected it, that affected it. Elin Solheim: you Christer Johnsen: I know that in my, not the last job, the job before that, I stayed too long in that job because I was afraid. I was afraid of not getting a new job. I don't know why, because I always got new jobs. I was afraid of losing money. I was invested in the company as well, so that kept me there. So it was like all these small steps. was quiet, growing realization. Elin Solheim: you Mm-hmm. Mm. Christer Johnsen: I guess I was more conscious aware of how I felt and how I thought I was thinking. know, when old people, you can spend years becoming really successful at something, then you realize that you don't want that life that the success requires. And for me, success is not the physical thing. Success is to live the life you want. Elin Solheim: Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: that is success. Like we, how we measure our company and our success is that we measure it on the success of our clients, whether they reach their goals or not, whether they are able to do what we tell them, right? Whether or not they are coachable. And that is important. then all the material, what most people don't understand is that the material things, they are an effect. They are never the cause. The cause is that you do what you love. Then the physical things, the material things like money and other things like freedom of travel that comes as a result. So the real question shifts from how do I do better to is this actually the life I want? ⁓ I. Elin Solheim: Good. I just... Sorry. No, I'm just thinking because you also said that you stayed too long in that job. And did you realize that you stayed too long in that job while you still were in the job? Or is that something that you have reflected on afterwards? Yeah. Christer Johnsen: I knew it in my heart, I knew it. Yeah. it's a that grows, right? That was maybe the first step, but I did one really, really smart thing that changed my life is that I had a mentor, right? I still, ⁓ we still with them. And I remember very, very clearly that my mentor told me, and I told that story many times before it was two weeks before we should get married in Kuala Lumpur. We were in, in Malaysia and in your and your ex husband's house. Elin Solheim: Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: And I had a call with my mentor and they said, Chris, you don't have a goal. What do mean? I said, you have a wish or a hope or a dream. You want to sail around the world. You want to run your mentoring business and build up that. And you want to have the freedom to travel and freedom to choose your clients, but you don't dare. You don't dare to move on it. And I just had this revelation which is this emotional impact saying, shit, I'm not serious about myself. If you want something, if you have a goal, you have to be serious. You have to start acting on it. Elin Solheim: Okay. It actually made an emotional impact on you. Christer Johnsen: It did. Yeah. Because my mentor held up with a mirror and they said, you're lying to yourself. And I don't like liars. So I didn't like myself. And then I had to be honest with myself. And I told you the same night that actually I'm going to leave. And you said, but I thought we had the plan that you should stay for another year or so, so we could build up. said, yeah, but no, I'm just going to leave. I cannot take it anymore. And to take that decision was a huge emotional freedom. Elin Solheim: Okay. ⁓ Mm. Christer Johnsen: I felt that once before in my life, but it was like, yes, now I'm free. But still I was afraid. Still I was afraid. Elin Solheim: So we actually together first you and later me we actually build something and this redesigning of your life what does it look like in practice? Christer Johnsen: Well, we didn't escape work. We still work. think one of the purposes of life is actually to work, ⁓ not work in itself, how you maybe define it as going to a job or doing that or doing that, but solving problems, fixing challenges. That is a part of life. That is a part of the goal achieving process as well. You have to enjoy the journey. So we didn't escape work. We just redesigned how and where and why we work. Instead of working for... Elin Solheim: Mm. Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: salary. We work for helping other people. Elin Solheim: And where we actually work is where we design a lot. Where we do the work. Christer Johnsen: Yes. We work wherever we are. Right. And my old chairman in, in alpha, ⁓ Stefan, he, he sent me an email a few months ago and I asked him how's it going. And he said, I always work and I never work. Right. And I really liked that quote is like, yeah, I work when I like, and I do what I like. Right. And that is location freedom. Right. Like in January, when we were in, in, in, ⁓ in the States. Elin Solheim: Mm. I don't Christer Johnsen: We were from there, right? We had workshops, had you sold, I sold, we had new clients coming in. We planned to actually record a couple of podcasts, but the location didn't work for us. It wasn't possible because the place we rented was too small and too cramped. So next time we go there, we're going to rent a house. So we have bigger, bigger location, but the location of freedom, when we are sailing, like right now we are at home in Norway. So we record this from... Elin Solheim: Yeah. Thank That was not possible. Mm. Hmm. Christer Johnsen: from you sit in your office and I sit in my office in our house. Wherever it is, yesterday I was out working and I went to art gallery and they have a great cafeteria and it's a place I love a lot because it's close to nature and it's good to walk there. And I worked there, right, one day. And I actually did my accounting there. So I sat in there. And I had the client call and the prospect call as well, coaching calls, right? Elin Solheim: . you Christer Johnsen: And then, so freedom of location is absolutely possible. You just have to create it, right? And then meaningful work. Sure. Follow your heart. All right. And a life built around priorities, not companies, right? This is what we prioritize. This is what is important for us. So freedom is not the absence of structure. It requires actually more structure, not less, but it's your structure. It is my structure. It is your structure, alien. Like yesterday, when you said that you had so much to do and you wanted some space and some me not being in the house, so you could feel more free because you still feel bound a little bit when I'm in the house. Elin Solheim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Hmm. Yeah, I kicked you out of the house. That's my... Christer Johnsen: Yeah, you're afraid of me listening to your calls. And that's okay. Right. It's with the paradigm you have. But then, and then I left, right. But still the structure is there. We do this, we do this, we do this, right. We have the fix in the calendar. We do this. Right. So it is a different structure, but it is your structure and my structure. And that feels very different. And that is what you as a listener can build as well. You just build a new structure for your life. Elin Solheim: Okay. Mm. ⁓ And I know that when I talk to people also they say this is from the outside this life looks so beautiful We have everything so but what what do people not see? Christer Johnsen: Mm-hmm. Well, when you leave the corporate life, no one organizes your time anymore. At the beginning, that is really a true freedom. But you have to build that yourself. Well, my calendar is organized by you, which is great. So I gave that to you because you are better at organizing calendars than me. And I just set the framework. Like I want to do that and that and that, and then you fit it into that. Elin Solheim: Mm-hmm. That's a big part for you to give me the control of your calendar because that means you trust me. Christer Johnsen: It does. Absolutely. And then freedom removes every excuse. You cannot say no, you cannot take a day off. Even though we had, I mean, you had a tougher cold than me. I was like for one week, you have been had a cold for two weeks with fever. We cannot stop working. Right? Of course, if we're really sick, then we cancel and all that. Right. But ⁓ we have to do the marketing. We have to do the selling. I have to help other people all the time. Elin Solheim: No. Mm-hmm. Because people depend on us. Christer Johnsen: And we cannot say, this is a bad day. So it requires a level of discipline and maturity. Most people underestimate, but it's not difficult. Right. It's just different. I would never go back to the corporate world. I, as I said, I said that several times. I'd rather die than go back. It's just no alternative to go back. Right. Like with the free, it's like, could you imagine going and asking your boss if you can take one week off to go to Greece? No, never, never, never. Elin Solheim: Mm. Ha! Thank you. Never. And for me, I haven't done that since 2008. Christer Johnsen: I know. Yeah. And for me it's like, no, I'm not. And it's, it's about feeling. It's very much about the feeling. The biggest challenge is not the logistics. It is our identity, right? Who you are when the title is gone. And that was a big shift for me. I remember one of the biggest, one of the strangest things I did was to create new business cards. Business cards were very important for me. I guess that was like an, ⁓ Elin Solheim: Hmm. Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: Not an affirmation, but it was like ⁓ a creation or proof of title, proof of prestige for me. So I always, I was always, that was always important for me when I was in the corporate world. ⁓ And then I made new business cards and it says like mentor, mentor, Krister Johnson. And that's like six years ago, I think, when I went all in five, six years ago, it felt very strange. Elin Solheim: Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Christer Johnsen: It felt like exhilarating. All this is fun and scary and at the same time, but I was very proud of myself when I had done that change. I went all in. ⁓ Elin Solheim: Thank Do you ever use those business cards now? I haven't seen them in a while. Christer Johnsen: I have them, it's very, very rare. Maybe, maybe I meet someone and just to make them remember me so I can help them. Right. This is my business card. Go to my website. Right. Then maybe, but otherwise, no, I never, that is not how it works. Right. We talk to people. Right. We help people. So that was an identity shift for me. That was like really big. Right. Because then my title is gone. Right. I'm not, I have the history of being this successful guy in the corporate world, but that is not who I am today. Today I'm a mentor with that background. That's the identity shift, right? Elin Solheim: So for those who are listening to this, what should someone take away from this episode, do think? Christer Johnsen: Well, first of all, don't copy our lives. Elin Solheim: You Christer Johnsen: All right. So how do I copy your life? That is absolutely the wrong question because we create our life like we want. Right. And we made a reel about this that is out on Instagram now. And we say, don't do this because it's easy. We do it because it's hard. All right. When we sail around the world at the same time, right next year, we're going to cross the Atlantic. Okay. We have some vague ideas on how we can run the business. Actually, I want to build up. I want to take. Elin Solheim: Hehehehehe Mm. Christer Johnsen: two months off. Maybe we do that. I don't know, because I want to enjoy the ocean crossing. And crossing the Atlantic will be about 22, 25 days. Elin Solheim: Thank I think the calendar says... The calendar says around that time is around three months off, I think. Christer Johnsen: Yeah, right. Or we can find a way to run the business. Well, we have Starlink on board and all that, right? But it's like, don't copy that. You don't have to sail around the world to be successful. If that is what you want, then you can do that. But we do it because it's hard, because it is a challenge. Hard doesn't mean that it's difficult. Hard means that it's different. There are challenges, like washing our clothes. That's one of the things you are responsible of. Elin Solheim: I don't Okay. Yeah. Thank Christer Johnsen: Like when can I have service on the main engine? When, because I do that myself and I have to fit that into the calendar. Right. So, and then we don't know when to get fuel and when to get food and how to get food. And we always, and water and all that is like that. do it because it's fun. It's a fun challenge. Right. It challenges mentally. Right. We grow, we grow, we grow, we grow. Elin Solheim: Bye. Yeah. Mm. And it's contrast. It's contrast also from the life that we have now when we are back in Norway. So we just appreciate everything more, I think. Christer Johnsen: Yeah. Yeah. So the right question, well, I the wrong question is how do I copy your life? Don't do. All right. You can be inspired, but don't copy. The right question is, does the life I'm currently building actually reflect what matters to me? Am I true to myself? Am I almost to myself? And if you are a senior professional and something feel misaligned, that feeling is not a weakness. It is information. Like I Elin Solheim: Mm. Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: I had all these small signs. Now I see it in retrospect. had all these small signs. The biggest sign was that I was afraid. The biggest sign was that I attracted more and more conflict. Right. The biggest sign was that I started sleeping bad. I was afraid. And if you have the same information. Elin Solheim: Mm. Mm, mm, mm. Christer Johnsen: And I think that then it's absolutely worth acting on and you can excuse yourself. Elin Solheim: Mm. Christer Johnsen: There are lot of people that have a lot of good excuses why they cannot change. But that is only because you don't know how. If you really want to change, then the how will come to you. But it starts with this decision, And many of the people we work with are exactly at this stage. Life works, but it no longer fits. It doesn't feel right. And then you have to redesign it. Elin Solheim: Thank Mm-hmm. Christer Johnsen: And the first step is always a conversation to get clarity. Where you are, what you want, and if you're willing to pay the price. And the first step for many of our clients is just a call, a clarity call. You can book it with us if you want to, but it's absolutely no pressure. It's just clarity, right? And then we tell you how we can help you. Elin Solheim: So to wrap this up, it's like you don't need to copy or replicate someone else's life, but you do deserve the life that you actually design. You deserve your own design life. So... I think just to book a clarity call with us or to just start doing something to go subscribe to this podcast and download the free morning routine on the website. Start to do something. help me out there. ⁓ Christer Johnsen: Mm-hmm. It is. Everything starts with clarity, right? And clarity, of course, we will give you clarity, but it starts with right being honest with yourself. I was not honest with myself. I needed a mentor to be honest with myself. Right. And maybe you need that too, but it starts with just writing. I tell that to everyone, write down what you truly want, but I don't know how. I don't care. The how is the wrong question. If you had known the how, then you had already done it. Then you would have had it. Elin Solheim: Mm-hmm. Make the decision. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, that's true. Christer Johnsen: Then you didn't need to want it. Right. But write down what you want. I want freedom. I want financial freedom. I want to travel. I want to sit. I want to sit on the beach in Dubai running my business, having a cold beer. If you want that, write it down because that is the first step. The first step is to write it down. That is when you take action. Right. It's not only thinking about it, but it is actually acting. Elin Solheim: Mmm. That's how you design your life. Christer Johnsen: That is the change, right? That is how you design your life. You write it down, right? I have written down the person I want to be. I write down every morning the life I want to live. Right? And that is how we do that. Okay. Well, I hope this gave you some insights in actually how easy it is to change your life, to redesign your life. You don't have to leave work. I didn't do that. I stayed at work. I stayed in work. Elin Solheim: you Christer Johnsen: some time, right? So I ran two parallel tracks and then I decided, ⁓ I was not able to decide on my own. I needed a mentor and most people do, right? I spent 10 years trying to change and then I got the mentor and then everything changed. That is how it is. Well, ⁓ Do you have any ⁓ thoughts or ideas for reflections, Zerlin? Elin Solheim: Okay. No, I think we wrapped it up good enough. Christer Johnsen: Yeah. Subscribe to the channel. As you said, yeah, we post every second week. We share our life. We share our clients lives. If we can do that, give you tips and hints on how. Yeah. Hello at Chris Johnson.com. And if you feel this resonates with you or you want to share this with someone, feel free to do that. And everything we do is to your success. Right? Yeah. See you soon. Bye bye. Elin Solheim: And just send us an email if you want to talk to us. Mm. Very success. Bye bye.